Hunger Games Rewrite
by Future40yearoldvirginwithcats
Summary: Not sure how to summarise just yet, still a lot of work to be done, but comment/review please :
1. Chapter 1

**Katniss**

As she wove in and out of the roasting bodies, Katniss felt somewhat calm. She had a strong sense that she was safe this year from election, she didn't know why, she just did. As she reached her place in the crowd, she became agitated and flustered; it was too hot. Even though she had dressed in a light, floral sundress, - "_It doesn't hurt to look feminine once in a while Katniss!_" her mother had shrieked – she was boiling and her skin was irritated with the heat. People around her were becoming unsettled with nerves and anticipation as the minutes ticked by. _'Hurry up'_ she thought, '_This is a perfect day to jump in the lake with Gale!_' Gale Hawthorne. That one name caused butterflies to rise up and soar through her stomach as she thought of his attractive, model-like features; strong chiselled nose and jaw, full inviting mouth, and eyes that could pierce straight through your heart. _'Well'_ she thought, _'They pierced through mine.'_

As the minutes turned to hours, she began to think about ice-cream, and how the tub of vanilla and fudge was sitting in her freezer, just 5 minutes away from here. But she couldn't leave, there would be consequences, she was sure of it. The laws of her town, Seam, weren't strict but there were some things you just didn't push, and sneaking out of an election was one of them. Just then, a plump man appeared in a grey suit, his balding grey hair shining with sweat, everything about him said 'outsider'. His small, scrunched up features were beaming with excitement, a give away that he didn't belong here – nobody smiled at the elections. As he droned on about how it was an honour to be chosen, Katniss went back to thinking about ice-cream when suddenly something jolted her back to reality. She hadn't been listening to the old man, but he'd said something that had caught her attention. "Katniss Everdeen" he repeated, eyes scanning the crowd. A feeling of dread swept through her as she finally realised what was happening. He had called out her name as the person who would be representing Seam. She was a member of the Test. She stumbled forward as her mind raced with fear, her eyes scanning the crowd. There. She sought a pair of eyes that would forever remain in her mind. Gale. His usually warm, brown eyes were now staring back with so much pain and hurt that Katniss caught her breath. His face, normally so alive, looked back at her with sorrow etched into it, tears flowing down his beautiful cheeks as she turned to walk to her fate.

It must have been at least an hour. The plump old man, who's name she'd found out was John Snow, had been talking about how honoured she must feel to have been chosen when all she could think was '_Why me? What have I done_ _to deserve this?_' Finally, he paused and looked at her with expectance in his eyes. '_Oh_' she thought _'He's waiting for me to talk'_. She cleared her throat and wiped her eyes – tears hadn't stopped falling as she had gazed at Gale's face – and started to speak.


	2. Chapter 2

**Gale**

He watched as she fell apart on stage and his heart broke. This was the girl he had grown up with, the girl he had fallen in love with. Now she was being sentenced to death. The thing that broke his heart the most was that she didn't even know how he felt about her, the pain in his eyes as she walked to the stage must have told her something, but it wouldn't tell her the extent of it. Every part of his brain was screaming at him to run and protect her. Protect her from the staring eyes and whispering mouths. She was his Katniss, no one else's.

Finally, she was free to go, and she ran into his arms, her fragile body shaking with sobs. He caught her waist and rested his hand on the small of her back where it slotted perfectly – like it was made for it. As he closed his eyes he inhaled her sweet, almond shampoo and his heart ached. He had to tell her. She couldn't go without knowing. '_But maybe she does know'_ a small voice at the back of his mind said '_Maybe she knows and doesn't feel the same way.'_ Annoyed, he pulled away and stared into her deep, green eyes – eyes that could hypnotise you with their endless depths and beauty– and asked her "Can we go somewhere quieter? I need to talk to you." And she replied with a simple, "Yes."

Running through the forest he tried to contain his sorrow; Katniss did not need sadness from him – her family would provide plenty of that. He thought about her younger siblings, Peeta and Prim, and how dependant they were on Katniss '_I'll look after them'_ he thought fiercely, _'for her.'_ They came to their tree and found their spot among the primroses in which her sister was named after. They had crafted a small bench out of pine wood in the nearby trees and carved their initials into it, christening it. He watched as Katniss sat down, her long flowing hair tinted golden by the fading sun, and he sighed. She looked up at him, eyes slightly puffy from crying and smiled - a smile that he would always remember; because it held so much pain that he vowed never to see it on her face again. He sat down next to her and clasped her hand in his, their eyes gazing into each others and whispered "I love you Katniss."

She looked up at him with an expression he had never seen before. "I know" she whispered back "When I saw you earlier, I just…knew."

He cleared his throat and they both flinched – the sound boomed after the hushed whispers. "I know I've left it too late, but I needed you to know before you…before you go." He said softly, his heart sinking as he registered that Katniss was leaving him. A thought suddenly occurred to him as he sat there watching her. "We can run away you know. Take Peeta and Prim and your mum and dad and just leave. They'd never find us – we know the forest better than anyone else! How about it, Catnip?" he asked, as Katniss smirked at the nickname he gave her all those years ago. Only Gale wasn't smiling – instead he was crying, his heart wrenching apart as he thought of life without this beautiful girl in it.


	3. Chapter 3

Katniss

Watching Gale fall apart like this brought Katniss back to reality. While he was talking about running away she had been overjoyed, imagining a life with him, but now she saw that could never happen. She was part of the Test, '_and you can't run away from the Test_' Katniss thought bitterly. She cleared her throat "Gale" she said, he was still looking at her expectantly, "Listen to me, we can't run away, you know what they'd do to us – what they'd do to Peeta and Prim" she added in a whisper.

"But you'll die out there!" Gale croaked out, fresh tears pouring out of his eyes as he clutched her hand, slowly bringing on a feeling of numbness. The numbness spread all over her body, enveloping her emotions, and finally her heart. Katniss pulled her hand away as she stood up to leave, "Don't say that!" she screamed, "I won't die, I can't leave Peeta and Prim on their own. I will come back and everything will be fine. Just fine" she said, her voice breaking on the last word.

Gale stood and brought her into his arms, embracing her in all his love and warmth. "I'm so sorry Katniss, I shouldn't have said that. I know you won't die – you're a fighter" he said, planting a kiss onto her forehead.

Katniss felt a tingle of electricity shoot through her as his lips touched her forehead, and she closed her eyes as a single tear slid down her cheek. "I'm so scared Gale" she whispered, "I don't want to die, I'm so scared!"

"I know" he replied, voice barely audible above Katniss' heart-wrenching sobs, "Just remember who you are. You're my Katniss, and my Katniss is the strongest person I know. You're going to go out there and you're going to win – for me, for Peeta and Prim, and for your parents. And when you come home we're going to get married, and I swear that as your husband, no harm will ever come to you again. Please don't cry Katniss, don't waste your tears on this awful game. Save them for tears of happiness when you become my wife." He said, voice angelic as he tried to soothe her.

Katniss looked up into his eyes, and her breath halted. "You're serious!? You want to marry me, Gale?" she asked in a small voice as her heart began racing.

"Yes I want to marry you. I want to have your children. I want to take care of you…" he trailed off as his face darkened, "I have to go in there Katniss - instead of you. I need to protect you and I can't do that if you're in there."

Looking into his eyes, Katniss saw the burning passion in which he wanted to protect her with. She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose to try and make sense of all this. She couldn't let Gale step forward for the test. He couldn't risk his life for her, and she couldn't watch him kill or be killed. No way.

"Gale" she said, as she opened her eyes. But there was no one there. "Gale?" she said again, seeing if he was near. "Gale!" she screamed, realising where he'd gone. He'd gone to step forward for the Test.

Without a second of hesitation, Katniss set off at a run, her destination clear in her mind. She raced through the woods, her hair getting caught in the tree branches. "Aaargh!" she screamed out in frustration, as she ripped her hair out of her scalp. She had to get to him before it was too late. She couldn't let Gale be a part of the Test.


	4. Chapter 4

**Gale**

"I'm sorry?" John Snow said; a bewildered look on his face, "What did you just say?"

Gale cleared his throat, "I want to be a competitor in the Test" he said, sighing at the stupidity of the man in front of him.

"A competitor? Right, well…" John replied, clearly astounded at the request, "You'll need to fill out these forms, as volunteers really are very rare. If you don't mind me asking, why do you want to compete?"

"Does it really matter why?" Gale said, voice sharp with agitation – the quicker these forms got filled out, the closer he would be to protecting Katniss.

"It wasn't so much a question as it was an order." Snow replied, eyes narrowing at Gale.

Gale sighed, "Katniss. Katniss Everdeen is my reason" he said, looking up into the eyes of the stranger who he so dearly hated.

"Ah" Snow said, realisation sinking in, "Love. How very touching." A smile played at his lips as his eyes danced with joy. "The public are going to love this, it's fantastic!" he said, handing over the forms.

**Application to volunteer for The Test:**

**Name: **Gale Hawthorne

**D.O.B: **22/09/1992

**Gender: **Male

**Height: **181 cm

**Weight: **210 lbs

**Reason for volunteering: **I want the glory of winning.

**What can you bring to the Test? : **I am good, strong fighter and will rise to the challenge. I will not give up till I have achieved my aim.

Gale handed back the forms and breathed a sigh of relief. He was in – he could now protect Katniss. A soothing peace took over his body, but didn't last for long.

"GALE!" he heard his name before he saw her.


	5. Chapter 5

Katniss

She was shaking, tears pooling out of her eyes, but this time it wasn't for herself. The thought of Gale out there - fighting to protect _her_ – raced around her mind as she reached him.

"Why?" she whispered, "Why would you do this?"

"I told you. I need to protect you, and that's what I'll do. No harm will come to you now Katniss." Gale replied, a small smile appearing on his lips.

"Do you have a death wish?" Katniss snarled, "What makes you think you'll be able to survive more than me? Ugh." She screamed in frustration for the second time that day. Did he not know that he would die out there? That they both would?

"I need some time alone to think. I'll see you later." Katniss said, turning on her heels before he could say anything. She made her way home, taking in her surroundings, putting everything in a box labelled 'Home' in the back of her memory – the smell of the trees, the setting of the sun, the feel of the soft grass beneath her feet.

As she opened the door to her house, she was met with four tear-stained faces.

"Where have you been?!" her mother asked, grabbing her by the arm and checking she was okay.

"Mum, I'm fine. I've just been with Gale, that's all." Katniss replied, voice braking at the thought of Gale.

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry. We'll all get through this together, one big force to be reckoned with. I'll get you the best trainer around and we will make you the best and strongest competitor to have ever lived." Her mother attempted a smile, but Katniss could see the pain behind her eyes.

"It's not that mum. It's…It's Gale." Her mother's eyes widened at the mention of him, "He's signed himself up for the Test, and he's going to die!" Katniss wailed as she flung herself into her mother's arms. "He's going to die and it's all my fault. I'm a terrible person!"

Her mother patted her back, trying to soothe her as she gave a look to the rest of the family, signalling for them to leave.

Katniss sat down, her head in her hands as she tried to make sense of the day. She had been chosen to compete, and she had sought comfort in Gale. Only he had volunteered to protect her, and she couldn't live with the guilt.

"Katniss listen to me. Gale wouldn't have volunteered if he didn't think he could survive. He obviously has a plan to keep you both alive, be grateful." Her mother never was one to give the best advice.

Katniss got up from the table, pushing her chair out the way, "I've gotta go see Peeta and Prim" she muttered as she walked off.

Reaching the door of her sister's bedroom, Katniss could hear sniffling and as she walked into the room, her sister jumped off her bed, wiping her eyes.

"Hey, it's only me" Katniss said softly. "I didn't mean to scare you, I just wanted to talk."

She looked at her sister, usually so radiant, and saw a stranger. Her long brown hair was matted, and her big blue eyes were rimmed with red – the result from a whole day of crying. Katniss walked over to her and picked her up, enveloping her in a hug.

"Prim, don't worry. Everything's going to be okay." Katniss almost sang, trying to reassure her helpless little sister.

"I don't want you to die Katniss" he sister's small voice edged with pain, "Please don't go."

"I won't die, Prim. I'll win, for you. I'll do it all for you." Katniss replied, voice tainted with the tears that rolled down her cheeks.

She didn't know how long she sat there, holding on to her little Prim, but when her mother came in to check on her she was in her dressing gown, ready for bed.

"The council want to see you and Gale right away. It's about the Test." Her mother said, worry forming on her face.

"But what about Peeta and dad? I haven't spoken to them yet!" Katniss cried.

"You're dad took Peeta to the woods to calm him down, he was working himself into a state. You know how he is with bad news."

Katniss calmed slightly at the thought of Peeta in the woods, it was the only place he would fully relax, and right now, it was probably the best place for him.

"I'll be five minutes." Katniss told her mother, placing her sleeping sister onto her bed.


End file.
